There is a prestigious list of Grand National winners over the years. The list includes some household names like Red Rum and Aldaniti, and others who have faded into distant memory.  

Here is a list of all the winners since 1900, including trainers, jockeys and age:

Year	Horse	Age	Jockey	Trainer
1900	Ambush II	6	Algy Anthony	Algy Anthony
1901	Grudon	11	Arthur Nightingall	Bernard Bletsoe
1902	Shannon Lass	7	David Read	James Hackett
1903	Drumcree	9	Percy Woodland	Sir Charles Nugent
1904	Moifaa	8	Arthur Birch	W. Hickey
1905	Kirkland	9	Frank Mason	E. Thomas
1906	Ascetic's Silver	9	Mr Aubrey Hastings	Aubrey Hastings
1907	Eremon	7	Alf Newey	Tom Coulthwaite
1908	Rubio	10	Henry Bletsoe	Fred Withington
1909	Lutteur III	5	Georges Parfrement	Harry Escott
1910	Jenkinstown	9	Robert Chadwick	Tom Coulthwaite
1911	Glenside	9	Mr Jack Anthony	R. H. Collis
1912	Jerry M	9	Ernie Piggott	Robert Gore
1913	Covertcoat	7	Percy Woodland	Robert Gore
1914	Sunloch	8	Bill Smith	Tom Tyler
1915	Ally Sloper	6	Mr Jack Anthony	Aubrey Hastings
1916–18	RACE NOT RUN
1919	Poethlyn	9	Ernie Piggott	Harry Escott
1920	Troytown	7	Mr Jack Anthony	Algy Anthony
1921	Shaun Spadah	10	Fred Rees	George Poole
1922	Music Hall	9	Lewis Rees	Owen Anthony
1923	Sergeant Murphy	13	Capt. Tuppy Bennett	George Blackwell
1924	Master Robert	11	Bob Trudgill	Aubrey Hastings
1925	Double Chance	9	Maj. John Wilson	Fred Archer, Jr.
1926	Jack Horner	9	William Watkinson	Harvey Leader
1927	Sprig	10	Ted Leader	Tom Leader
1928	Tipperary Tim	10	Mr Bill Dutton	Joseph Dodd
1929	Gregalach	7	Robert W H Everett	Tom Leader
1930	Shaun Goilin	10	Tommy Cullinan	Frank Hartigan
1931	Grakle	9	Bob Lyall	Tom Coulthwaite
1932	Forbra	7	Tim Hamey	Tom Rimell
1933	Kellsboro' Jack	7	Dudley Williams	Ivor Anthony
1934	Golden Miller	7	Gerry Wilson	Basil Briscoe
1935	Reynoldstown	8	Mr Frank Furlong	Noel Furlong
1936	Reynoldstown	9	Mr Fulke Walwyn	Noel Furlong
1937	Royal Mail	8	Evan Williams	Ivor Anthony
1938	Battleship	11	Bruce Hobbs	Reg Hobbs
1939	Workman	9	Tim Hyde	Jack Ruttle
1940	Bogskar	7	Mervyn Jones	Lord Stalbridge
1941–45	RACE NOT RUN
1946	Lovely Cottage	9	Capt. Bobby Petre	Tommy Rayson
1947	Caughoo	8	Eddie Dempsey	Herbert McDowell
1948	Sheila's Cottage	9	Arthur Thompson	Neville Crump
1949	Russian Hero	9	Leo McMorrow	George Owen
1950	Freebooter	9	Jimmy Power	Bobby Renton
1951	Nickel Coin	9	John Bullock	Jack O'Donoghue
1952	Teal	10	Arthur Thompson	Neville Crump
1953	Early Mist	8	Bryan Marshall	Vincent O'Brien
1954	Royal Tan	10	Bryan Marshall	Vincent O'Brien
1955	Quare Times	9	Pat Taaffe	Vincent O'Brien
1956	E.S.B.	10	David Dick	Fred Rimell
1957	Sundew	11	Fred Winter	Frank Hudson
1958	Mr. What	8	Arthur Freeman	Tom Taaffe, Sr.
1959	Oxo	8	Michael Scudamore	Willie Stephenson
1960	Merryman II	9	Gerry Scott	Neville Crump
1961	Nicolaus Silver	9	Bobby Beasley	Fred Rimell
1962	Kilmore	12	Fred Winter	Ryan Price
1963	Ayala	9	Pat Buckley	Keith Piggott
1964	Team Spirit	12	Willie Robinson	Fulke Walwyn
1965	Jay Trump	8	Tommy Smith	Fred Winter
1966	Anglo	8	Tim Norman	Fred Winter
1967	Foinavon	9	John Buckingham	John Kempton
1968	Red Alligator	9	Brian Fletcher	Denys Smith
1969	Highland Wedding	12	Eddie Harty, Sr.	Toby Balding
1970	Gay Trip	8	Pat Taaffe	Fred Rimell
1971	Specify	9	John Cook	John Sutcliffe
1972	Well to Do	9	Graham Thorner	Tim Forster
1973	Red Rum	8	Brian Fletcher	Ginger McCain
1974	Red Rum	9	Brian Fletcher	Ginger McCain
1975	L'Escargot	12	Tommy Carberry	Dan Moore
1976	Rag Trade	10	John Burke	Fred Rimell
1977	Red Rum	12	Tommy Stack	Ginger McCain
1978	Lucius	9	Bob Davies	Gordon W. Richards
1979	Rubstic	10	Maurice Barnes	John Leadbetter
1980	Ben Nevis	12	Mr Charlie Fenwick	Tim Forster
1981	Aldaniti	11	Bob Champion	Josh Gifford
1982	Grittar	9	Mr Dick Saunders	Frank Gilman
1983	Corbiere	8	Ben de Haan	Jenny Pitman
1984	Hallo Dandy	10	Neale Doughty	Gordon W. Richards
1985	Last Suspect	11	Hywel Davies	Tim Forster
1986	West Tip	9	Richard Dunwoody	Michael Oliver
1987	Maori Venture	11	Steve Knight	Andrew Turnell
1988	Rhyme 'n' Reason	9	Brendan Powell	David Elsworth
1989	Little Polveir	12	Jimmy Frost	Toby Balding
1990	Mr Frisk	11	Mr Marcus Armytage	Kim Bailey
1991	Seagram	11	Nigel Hawke	David Barons
1992	Party Politics	8	Carl Llewellyn	Nick Gaselee
1993	RACE VOID
1994	Miinnehoma	11	Richard Dunwoody	Martin Pipe
1995	Royal Athlete	12	Jason Titley	Jenny Pitman
1996	Rough Quest	10	Mick Fitzgerald	Terry Casey
1997	Lord Gyllene	9	Tony Dobbin	Steve Brookshaw
1998	Earth Summit	10	Carl Llewellyn	Nigel Twiston-Davies
1999	Bobbyjo	9	Paul Carberry	Tommy Carberry
2000	Papillon	9	Ruby Walsh	Ted Walsh
2001	Red Marauder	11	Richard Guest	Norman Mason
2002	Bindaree	8	Jim Culloty	Nigel Twiston-Davies
2003	Monty's Pass	10	Barry Geraghty	Jimmy Mangan
2004	Amberleigh House	12	Graham Lee	Ginger McCain
2005	Hedgehunter	9	Ruby Walsh	Willie Mullins
2006	Numbersixvalverde	10	Niall Madden	Martin Brassil
2007	Silver Birch	10	Robbie Power	Gordon Elliott
2008	Comply or Die	9	Timmy Murphy	David Pipe
2009	Mon Mome	9	Liam Treadwell	Venetia Williams
2010	Don't Push It	10	Tony McCoy	Jonjo O'Neill
2011	Ballabriggs	10	Jason Maguire	Donald McCain, Jr.
2012	Neptune Collonges	11	Daryl Jacob	Paul Nicholls
2013	Auroras Encore	11	Ryan Mania	Sue Smith
2014	Pineau De Re	11	Leighton Aspell	Richard Newland
2015	Many Clouds	8	Leighton Aspell	Oliver Sherwood
2016	Rule The World	9	David Mullins	Mouse Morris
2017	One For Arthur	8	Derek Fox	Lucinda Russell
2018	Tiger Roll	8	Davy Russell	Gordon Elliott

The First Grand National

The history of the Grand National is long and varied. The Grand National was founded by William Lynn, the owner of the Waterloo Hotel, on land he leased in Aintree from William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton.

There is a great deal of debate over what is considered the first official Grand National.  The ‘Grand Liverpool Steeplechase’ took place on Tuesday the 26th February 1839 at Aintree.  This is considered to be the first running of what became later known as the Grand National.  The winner of the first race was the aptly named ‘Lottery’ and the race was run over a 4 mile course with partly ploughed fields, fences, banks, two brooks and a stone wall!

Also taking part in the inaugral race was a horse named ‘Conrad’.  The horse’s jockey was non other than Captain Martin Becher. Becher fell during the race, giving his name to possibly the most famous obstacle in Horse Racing, Becher’s Brook.

Some historians, including John Pinfold, now believe that the first running was actually in 1836 and was won by a horse called The Duke.

Controversy

The races between 1836 and 1836 inclusive had previously not been classified of running’s of the famous race, because historians previously believed they took place at Maghull and not Aintree.

In recent years further evidence has been found to suggest those races were run at Aintree.

Newspaper reports from the time place all the 1836-38 races at Aintree although the 1839 race is the first described as “national”. To date, calls for the ‘Nationals’ of 1836–1838 to be restored to the record books have not succeeded. 

In the 1840’s William Lynn fell into ill health and Edward Topham, beacme more involved in the running of the National. He turned the chase into a handicap in 1843 and took over the land lease in 1848. In 1949, the Topham family bought the course outright.

First World War

During the First World War, for a period of 3 years while Aintree Racecourse was taken over by the British Government, an alternative race was run at Gatwick Racecourse.  In 1916 race was held called the ‘Racecourse Association Steeplechase‘, and in 1917 and 1918 the race was known as the ‘War National Steeplechase‘. The races at Gatwick are rarely recognised as official ‘Grand Nationals’.

The 1928 Grand National

The 1928 Grand National remains one of the most famous renewals of the race. The winner Tipperary Tim was one of only two runners to complete the race.

Before the race had begun, Tipperary Tim’s jockey William Dutton heard a friend call out to him: “Billy boy, you’ll only win if all the others fall down!” 

The race was run in foggy conditions and the going that day was very heavy.  As the field approached the Canal Turn on the first circuit, Easter Hero fell, causing a multi-horse pile-up.  At this stage, only seven horses remained with jockeys in the saddle.  As the race unfolded, approaching the penultimate fence only 3 runners remained in contention. 

Great Span’s saddle slipped, leaving Billy Barton in the lead until he also  fell leaving Tipperary Tim to win the race at odds of 100-1. Billy Braton’s jockey managed to remount, leaving only two finishers. 

 

 

The 1940’s and 50’s

The Grand National was run as normal in 1940, but again the commandeering of Aintree for defence use in 1941, meant there was no  Grand National between 1941 and 1945.

The unlikely hero of the 1967 Grand National was a horse named Foinavon.  The unfancied 100-1 outsider Foinavon started the race slowly.

At fence number 23 a loose horse named Popham Down veered violently to his right and slammed into Rutherfords. This started a huge pile-up, with fallers and unseated horses blocking the track.

Jockey John Buckingham skillfully guided Foinavon around the carnage. With 6 fences remaining Foinavon had a 30 length lead.  Buckingham managed to keep Foinavon’s nose in front despite some jockey’s remounting, including the jockey of 15-2  favourite Honey End. Only 18 of the original 44 starters finished the race.

The sixties were also notable for Fred Winter who won the race once as a jockey and twice as a trainer over the decade.

There is a great short film from 1969 showing footage of the run up to the Grand National that year.  

The Most Famous Grand National Winner of All

The 1970’s was a decade dominated by Red Rum.  Originally bought for the equivalent of just £420, Red Rum later changed hands for 6000 guineas (or £6300) when trainer Ginger McCain bought him on behalf of Noel Le Mare.  Just two days after buying the horse, McCain noticed that the horse was lame. McCain treated by galloping him in sea water.

In the 1973 Grand National 1973, Red Rum started as 9-1 favourite. With 4 fences to go Australian horse Crisp led by 33 lengths. But, conceding 23lb to the favourite, Crisp began to falter. Red Run finally prevailed by 3/4 of a length in what was a record time of 9 min 1.9 seconds, nearly 20 seconds faster than the previous record. 

Red Rum went on to win the National a record three times in the history of the Grand National and in the process, along with trainer Ginger McCain became a national treasure.

The 1993 National Debacle

The 1993 Grand National did not get off to a clear start. Earlier in the day a group of protestors had invaded the course, and when the time came for the race to start it was a nervy affair. 

When under starter’s orders, one jockey got tangled in the starting tape which had not risen correctly. A false start was declared, but this was not clear to the jockey’s taking part.  30 of the 39 jockeys failed to realise and started the race.

Officials tried to stop them after they set off by waving red flags, but many jockeys continued to race, in the mistaken belief that they were more protesters.

Just seven horses completed the race and the result was declared void. 

Up to Date

In 1981 jockey Bob Champion won the race on Aldaniti.  

Two years earlier Bob Champion had been diagnosed with testicular cancer, and his doctors only gave him a matter of months to live. Aldaniti had recently recovered from leg issues.  The pair went attained legendary status after coming back to win the race. Their story was immortalised in the film Champions, starring John Hurt.

In a another great story Red Rum’s trainer Ginger McCain returned to the Grand National in 2004. McCain’s Amberleigh House was ridden home by jockey by Graham Lee. Lee overtook Clan Royal on the final straight after Hedgehunter, winner the following year, fell at the last fence while leading. 

2009 saw Mon Mome become the longest priced winner of the National for over 40 years, at odds of 100-1.

In 2018, the race was won by Tiger Roll, under Davy Russell, ahead of Pleasant Company and Bless the Wings.

Who will be the next horse to go down in the history of the Grand National?